Night of Regrets
by MysteriousNotes
Summary: Bluestar runs into a figure from her past in StarClan. Oneshot. R


_Note: I do not own these characters- they belong to HarperCollins and Erin Hunter. This oneshot takes place during the "Fourth Apprentice" series of the books, as tensions within StarClan are rising due to the threat of the Dark Forest._

**Night of Regrets**

The lightest brush of a tail against a leafy bush made a light, whispery sound. Green fields stretched ahead, darkened by the ebony sky. The full moon had gloriously risen to its peak, reflecting its lunar glow upon the ground below.

Paws thrummed against the earth, stirring tiny specks of dust in their wake. A blue feline was making her way towards the openness of the fields. Her petite frame became basked in the moonlight as she stepped from the shadows. She lifted her head, closing her crystalline blue oculars in response to the brightness. She moved her paws against the ground, feeling the slightest vibrations beneath her pads.

She blinked open her eyes and pricked her ears as she heard a figure approaching. Opening her mouth, she caught the scent. _RiverClan._

The slightest tingle of annoyance made the blue fur along her shoulders spike. _Relax, Bluestar_, she thought, shaking her head, _there are no borders or conflicts within StarClan grounds… at least not yet…_

The figure slipped from the trees across the clearing. Large muscles, sleek fur, a RiverClan physique through and through.

The light revealed the red-brown pelt of the tom, the clear amber eyes set into his head, wide and unblinking. He paused as he saw Bluestar, his eyes trailing across her, longing held within his irises.

"Oakheart," Bluestar whispered, the familiar pang of sorrow rising from within her chest. The father to her kits, the cat she had fallen in love with many, many seasons ago. The cat she had brushed aside for the duty of leading her clan.

He remained silent, but began stepping towards her, head lowered slightly. He continued until they were barely an inch apart. She could feel his breath on her fur, could stare directly into his wide eyes, until she felt engulfed by them, intrigued, the same feeling she had when they had met in their young, naïve days.

"Bluestar," he finally responded, his meow breathy and light, yet so filled with emotion that Bluestar felt overcome with mixtures of grief, happiness, anger, confusion, love…

"This isn't good… we shouldn't be here…" she murmured, yet her body detested the words she had spoken, defiled them as she struggled to turn him away.

He blinked, physically unfazed, but she could see he was wounded inside, wanting her, needing her, but knowing they could never be together, even after death.

"I remember meeting you," he mewed softly as a breeze picked up, stirring their fur and causing Bluestar to shiver slightly. "So intriguing… so… beautiful. Then our next encounter, at Sunningrocks, when you attacked me…" he chuckled at this, the faded memories causing his amber gaze to cloud slightly. "I knew I loved you then. Maybe I still do…"

"Oakheart, no," Bluestar's meow came out in a whisper and grief made the knot in her throat grow by the minute, her words coming out forced and regretful. "You know how I felt… maybe how I still feel… But things have changed. I was ThunderClan leader, and even now the StarClan warriors still look to me for guidance. How would they feel if I…" she trailed off, unable to finish, unable to look at him again.

"I love you, Bluestar," he whispered, leaning close to her. Bluestar's eyes flickered closed as his nose pressed against her cheek. The familiarity of his scent, his warmth, making her heart race, her emotions boil over. "No matter what has happened, I never stopped loving you."

"Oakheart…" she breathed, her eyes half-opening, "I'm sorry... We can't-"

"Shh. I know…" he sighed, turning away, "Please don't say it." He dug his claws into the ground, raising his head to the sky. She could hear his heart beating quickly. The rush of adrenaline they received from each other made the heat of battle seem like nothing in comparison.

Bluestar felt tears falling from her oculars, and quickly blinked them out. She wanted _him, _she wanted to be with him, to love and to be loved. But there was more to take into account than her own emotions. Cats were counting on her to lead them through the dark times ahead, and tensions among StarClan itself were at on the rise as the threat of the Dark Forest loomed in close range.

"Goodbye, Oakheart," she sighed, turning away from him, her muscles straining with the simple effort, the weight on her shoulders seeming to have doubled.

"Goodbye, Bluestar… until later…" came the faint response, the end of the statement causing Bluestar to pause.

She turned to face him, but he had gone, his figure blending with the shadows of the surrounding forest. She stood there for a long time, as if waiting, wondering if he would come back. There was no denying that she would be pleased if he would…


End file.
